Apparatus for treating with liquid running yarns and threads



if sept. 12, 195o F. F. SUTHERLAND ETAL APPARATUS FOR TREATING WITH LIQUID RUNNING YARNS AND THREADS Filed July 31, 1945 il -x 23 mgm w QEM un 4 5 IN VEN TOR S FREDERICK F. SUTHE RLAND.

DONALD K. WILSON.

Patented Sept. l2, 1950 APPARATUS FOR TREATIN G WITH LIQUID RUNNING YARNS AND HREADS l Frederick F. Sutherland and n hala K. Wilson,

Cumberland, Md., assignors to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application July 3l, 1945, Serial No. 608,007

7 Claims. l

This invention relates to the treatment of running yarns and threads, and relates more particularly to novel apparatus for the application of liquid media to running yarns and threads in a uniform manner.

In the application of various liquid media to running yarns and threads. as during winding and twisting operations where the yarns and threads are traveling from bobbin to bobbin, not only must the liquid media be applied to the yarns and threads in a uniform manner but, in addition, any fly or throw of the liquid from the running yarns and threads must be kept to a minimum. An undesirable liquid throw is encountered particularly where a twist is being imparted to the yarns and threads simultaneously with the application of the liquid media. The ballooning of the yarn or thread in ring twisting operations, for example, results in a centrifugal force of a considerable degree causing small liquid droplets to fall in all directions. Where liquid media containing dyestuifs are being applied to running yarns and threads for the purpose of dyeing the yarns and threads, it is quite important that the yarns and threads are dyed to an absolutely uniform shade. Any variations in the degree of dyeing will be quite apparent when said dyed yarns and threads are Woven into fabrics and faulty application of the dyestuff may even necessitate a complete redyeing of the fabric to attain a uniform shade.

Various means, such as, wicks, rollers, etc., are employed for the application of liquid media to I:running yarns and threads. While they are quite satisfactory in many instances, they have been found to be unsuitable for the application of liquid compositions where the compositions contain a fairly volatile solvent component. since the volatile solvent tends to evaporate rather rapidly from the wicks or rollers. Where the composition employed contains a dyestuil, the evaporation of the solvents leaves an undesirable concentration of d vestui on the wicks or rollers, thus making the uniform coloration of said running yarns and threads practically impossible.

The concentrated dyestul produces very streaky' dyeing. Suitable apparatus for the application of liquid media to running yarns and threads, both of which will hereinafter be referred to as yarns, in a controlled and uniform manner with a minimum of solvent evaporation has long been sought.

It is, therefore, an important object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for the uniform application of liquids. and especially 2, liquid media containing a volatile component, in controlled amount, 'ryarns and threads while the latter are moving from one yarn package to another.

Another object of this invention is to provide an effective and inexpensive apparatus adapted for the application of liquid media to running yarns and threads whereby any losses of the liquid media due to evaporation are reduced and the liquid throw due to centrifugal forces acting on said yarns during Winding and twisting operations are held to a minimum'.

Other objects of this invention will appear from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view. of our improved apparatus for the application of liquid media to running yarns and threads, broken away to show the yarn guides and the means for controlling the amount of liquid remaining on the yarns, and,

Fig. 2 is a detailed view in perspective of another embodiment of the liquid control or stripping means which may be employed in connection with our novel apparatus.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. l, there is shown a vessel, generally indicated by reference numeral 3, provided with a closely fitted cover 4, which is attached to the upper portion of vessel 3 by means of ahinge 5. Any desired liquid may be placed in vessel 3 for application to the yarns or threads undergoing treatment. The cover 4 may be raised and rotated freely on hinge 5, thus providing easy access to the mechanism inside, as for cleaning and the like.

The'cover 4 is provided on one side with a slot 6 in which is set a slotted yarn guide 1 and oppositely disposed thereto is a second slot 8 tted with a slotted yarn guide 9. Mounted in a suitable threaded opening in cover 4 at a point between yarn guides 'l and 9 is a threaded rod, generally indicated by reference numeral I0, which acts as a supporting member for the component parts of our novel apparatus. At the top of the portion of rod ln extending above cover d, rod it! carries apair of pigtail yarn guides l'l and l2, in line with slotted yarn guides l and 9, respectively, xed to a collar i3 which is threaded on to rod I0 and maintained in the desired Vertically spaced relation with respect to cover 4 by a lock nut lf3. Rod l0' may be vertically adjusted with respect to cover d by being given any desired number of turns in the proper direction and is tending portion of plate l1 and through plate 20.

Held on plates I1 and 20 by means of retainers 22 and 23 are strippers 24 and 25 formed of rubber or other soft and'flexible material, the latter being held in abutting relationship under suitable pressure by means oi a spring 26. Strip retainers 22 and 23, as well as strippers 24 and 2i are held in position by screws 21 and 28, respectively. which are threaded into plates I1 and 2l.

Any desired liquid composition may be applied in the following manner to a running yarn employing our novel apparatus. Cover 4 is raised and the yarn to be treated, indicated by reference numeral 29 and which has iirst been passed through pigtail guide Il,l is led through slot 6 into slotted yarn guide 1, threaded through a pigtail guide 3U integral with the base of rod il. and then upward between strippers 24 and 25 mounted on plates I1 and 20. The latter are forced apart against the pressure of spring 26 to allow yarn 29 to be placed therein. 'I'he yarn is then passed up through slot 8 and yarn guide 3 and then out through pigtail guide i2. The winding operation is started, cover 4 is then dropped and pigtail guide 30 is thus set below the level of the liquid in vessel 3, as shown by the dot-dash line in Fig. l. The passage of yarn 29 through submerged pigtail guide 30 thoroughly impregnates said yarn with the liquid composition employed. The action of spring 26, which maintains a constant pressure on strippers 24 and 25 between which the running yarn is passing. serves to remove any surplus liquid from the running yarn and the liquid thus stripped from yarn 29 falls back into the main body of the liquid in vessel 3. After the excess liquid is stripped from yarn 2S, the latter passes upwardly through guide 8 and pigtail l2 and may then be directed to any further textile processing operation, such as, for example. winding and twisting.

The amount of liquid applied to yarn 23 may be controlled by the degree of pressure applied on the yarn by the strippers, i. e. by the spring pressure applied on the strippers. Thus, any desire'd amount of liquid may be applied to the yarn. In the case where the liquid composition being applied comprises a solution of a dyestut, the latter is applied in an extremely uniform manner. The presence of cover 4 over the liquid in vessel 3 minimizes any evaporation from the main body of the liquid. Extreme uniformity of shade may be further obtained by employing a series of interconnected vessels 3 and continuously circulating the dye liquor therethrough as by means of a pump so that the maximum uniformity of dyebath composition will be maintained.

Where a lighter degree of pressure on the yarn is desired as it passes through the strippers. a modification of the pressure mechanism may be employed as shown in Pig. 2. In this embodiment of the liquid stripping means of our novel apparatus. there is employed a plate 3l having a vertical arm 32 integral therewith. carrying a plate 33 pivotally mounted on arm 32 as by means of a pin 34. Plate 3i is provided with a. slot 2l and held therein, as by a screw 36. is a stripper 31. In abutting relationship to stripper 31 is a second stripper 38 set in a slot 39 in plate 33 and held therein as by a screw 40. The stripping mechanism shown in Fig. 2 is provided with a threaded hole 4i by means of which said assembly may be maintained on rod I0. In this modification of our novel apparatus. only the weight of plate 33 acts to force stripper 38 against stripper 31, thus enabling only very light pressure to be applied to the runningyarn where only a very light tension is desired.

It is to 'ne understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merely by way of illustration and that many variations maybe made therein without departing from the spirit oi our invention.

Having described our invention. what we desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for the application of liquid media to running yarm and threads, comprising a vessel for containing a liquid, a. rod operatively mounted with respect to said vessel. yarn guide means on said rod both inside and outside said vessel for guiding a running yarn along a controlled path through the vessel and the liquid contained therein and stripping means mounted on said rod within said vessel and in the path of said running yarn for stripping excess liquid from the wetted yarn.

2. Apparatus for the application oi' liquid media to running yarns and threads. comprising a vessel for containing a. liquid, a rod operatively mounted with respect to said vessel, yarn guide means on said rod both inside and outside said vessel for guiding a running yarn along a controlled path through the vessel and the liquid contained therein and stripping means mounted on said rod within said vessel and in the path of said running yarn for stripping excess liquid from the wetted yarn. said stripping means comprising ilexible members in abutting relationship and bearing on said running yarn for stripping excess liquid therefrom.

' 3. Apparatus for the application of liquid media to running yarns and threads, comprising a vessel for containing a liquid, a cover for said vessel including yarn entry and exit means, a rod mounted in said cover, yarn guide means on said rod both inside and outside said vessel for guiding a running yarn along a controlled path through the vessel and the liquid contained therein and stripping means mounted on said rod within said vessel and in the path of said running yarn for stripping excess liquid from the wetted yarn. f

4. Apparatus for the application of liquid media to running yarns and threads, comprising a vessel for containing a liquid, a cover for said vessel including yarn entry and exit means, a rod mounted in said cover, yarn guide means on said rod both inside and outside said Vessel for Guidlng a running yarn along a controlled path through the vessel and the liquid contained therein and stripping means mounted on said rod within said vessel and in the path of said nmning yarn, said stripping means comprising ilexible members in abutting relation and bearing on said yarn for stripping excess liquid therefrom.

5. Apparatus for the application of llquidm'edia to running yarns and threads, comprising a veisel for containing a liquid, a cover for said vessel including yarn entry and exit means, a rod mounted in said cover, yarn guide means on said rod both inside and outside said vessel for guiding a running yarn along a controlled path 5 through the vessel and the liquid contained therein and stripping means mounted on said rod within said vessel and in the path of said running yarn, said stripping means comprising a plate having a flexible member attached thereto,A l0

a second plate pivotally mounted on the first mentioned plate having a second flexible member attached thereto and means for maintaining said iiexible members in abutting relation whereby excess liquid is stripped from the yarn passing l5 therebetween.

6. Apparatus for the application of liquid media to running yarns and threads, comprising a vessel for containing a liquid, a cover for said vessel including yarn entry and exit means, a rod gn mounted in said cover, yarn guide means on said rod both inside and outside said vessel for guiding a running yarn along a controlled path through the vessel and the liquid contained therein and stripping means mounted on said rod with- 2,-,

in said vessel and in the pathof said running yarn, said stripping means comprising a plate having a flexible member attached thereto, a second plate pivotally mounted on and above the horizontal plane of the rst mentioned plate and 30 having a second exible member attached thereto, the weight of said second plate being such that said exible members are maintained in abutting relation and excess liquid is stripped from the yarn passing therebetween. 35

therein and stripping means mounted on said rod within said vessel and in the path of said running yarn, said stripping means comprising a plate having a exible member attached thereto,

a second plate pivotally mounted on the rst mentioned plate having a second flexible member attached thereto and spring means for maintaining said exible members in abutting relation whereby excess liquid is stripped from the yarn passing therebetween.

FREDERICK F. SUTHERLAND. DONALD K. WILSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,015,304 Eppler Jan. 23, 1912 1,341,065 Meyer May 25, 1920 1,428,021 Faucette Sept. 5, 1922 2,120,110 Morrell June 7, 1938 

